AUGUSTA, Maine – The Maine Office of Cannabis Policy (OCP) is today issuing a Medical Cannabis Patient Advisory for ChoicesLab dual chamber disposable vape devices of the flavor Sweet Citrus x WarHeads sold by Klouds Society in Winslow.
OCP has no verification of whether other medical cannabis retailers in Maine are selling these dual chamber vape devices. However, patients and businesses should both be aware that these are determined to be unregulated, potentially contaminated products from outside Maine’s regulated medical cannabis program.
Medical Cannabis Patient Advisory
OCP received a patient complaint in June about a ChoicesLab 2-in-1 disposable vape device purchased from Klouds Society that was not functioning properly. Upon investigating, the Office discovered that the registrant had purchased the vapes from outside of the regulated market.
OCP went on to test the Sweet Citrus x WarHeads flavored vape devices as part of its investigation. Those test results (for both the left and right sides) showed varying unsafe levels of five different pesticides including bifenthrin, chlorfenapyr, cypermethrin, malathion, and permethrin.
Inhaling cannabis containing unsafe levels of pesticides can cause respiratory irritation, neurological effects, and/or flu-like symptoms. Please visit OCP's website for more information on the toxicity and health impacts of each contaminant detected at unsafe levels in the dual chamber vape devices listed above. Any patient who has ingested these products and is experiencing symptoms or adverse reactions should contact a healthcare provider immediately or dial 911 if there is a medical emergency.
While OCP only tested the Sweet Citrus x WarHeads flavored vapes, Klouds Society sold the ChoicesLab 2-in-1 disposable vapes (2 grams) in 10 different flavor combinations:
- Butterfinger x Pizookie
- Chocolate Milk x Horchata
- Hibiscus Rush x Airhead Extremes
- Lecherita x Blue Jam
- Pink Gushers x Atomic Pop
- Raspberry Rush x Cocolato
- Sour PushPop x Tutti Frutti
- Sweet Citrus x WarHeads
- Tres Leches x Banana Sundae
- Watermelon Tart x Pistachio Gelato
OCP does not have authority under Maine law to issue a recall in the Maine Medical Use of Cannabis Program, unlike the Office’s authority in the Adult Use Cannabis Program to issue recalls or to require removal of products prior to administrative penalty, suspension, or revocation. The medical program is also not subject to the same mandatory inventory tracking or contaminant testing requirements as the adult use program. As such, OCP is limited in the amount of information and detail it can provide in this advisory compared to its adult use cannabis recall notices.
- While OCP lacks the authority to require these products to be removed from the supply chain, Klouds Society has voluntarily removed the contaminated products from its store.
- OCP has no verification of whether there are other potentially contaminated ChoicesLab vape devices in the supply chain being sold by other medical cannabis registrants.
- Patients and businesses should be aware that ChoicesLab is not a registered dispensary or caregiver in Maine. The products appear to be unregulated items produced and purchased outside of Maine’s legal medical cannabis program.
About the Office of Cannabis Policy (OCP)
The Mills Administration created the Office of Cannabis Policy (OCP) within the Department of Administration and Financial Services (DAFS) in February 2019. The Office is responsible for the oversight of all aspects of legalized cannabis in Maine, including the Medical Use of Cannabis Program and the Adult Use Cannabis Program.